You Are Already An Expert At Writing a Value Proposition

You are already an expert at writing value propositions. Over the course of your lifetime you’ve written thousands of value propositions. Well, to be honest, you didn’t actually write these value propositions. But rest assured, you did create value proposition.

Let’s look at example. Remember when you upgraded your computer and bought that new MacBook Air? Did you really need the MacBook Air? We could have an interesting debate over whether you wanted it or needed it, but there is no debating that you came up with a compelling value proposition.

What did you tell yourself when you bought that computer? Maybe you told yourself that your old computer was too slow and that your work requires a faster computer. You might have told yourself that your new Macbook Air would boot in seconds, preventing you from having to wait to start working and saving you time. Perhaps you told yourself that the new computer would be light enough that you could carry it everywhere with you, allowing you to work from anywhere and making you even more efficient. If you were really convincing when you sold yourself, you explained to yourself how much money your time was worth and how much more you would make with a faster, lighter, sexier computer.

So the value proposition was that you would invest $1500 (plus or minus) and for that $1500 you would gain the ability to get to work faster, improve your efficiency, and make more money–regardless of where you happened to be in the world. And just like that, there is your value proposition.

Why then is there so much trouble converting this concept into a value proposition for your prospective clients?

You value proposition wasn’t about buying a computer. It was about buying what a computer would allow you to do. It was about the outcomes. Your clients don’t want to buy what you sell. They want to buy what it will allow them to do that they can’t do already. They want to buy outcomes, too.

Question

How do you craft a compelling, differentiated value proposition?

How do you convert features and a benefits into a concise, compelling statement?

What makes something difficult to convert into a compelling value proposition?

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